WHAT THE “WORLD” SAYS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5505, 18 November 1878, Page 3

WHAT THE “WORLD” SAYS.

Chiswick has hitherto been known most for its fetes, but in future it will be associated more as the birthplace of torpedo-boats; for it is hcu'c, on the left bank of the-Thames, that sMessrs. Thornycroft and Co. manufacture their celebrated Tho head of the present firm was originally a mere builder of pleasure-boats for the Thames; but being of a progressive temperament, he gradually developed this business,<• until he produced for river use a steam-launch capable of running at the rate of six-and-twenty miles an hour. This immense speed was attained by substituting galvanised steel plates for iron or wood, by employing powerful compound engines of very small compass, and by adopting lines of tho most perfect symmetry for the hulls. The application of these launches for the purposes of torpedo warfare followed, it may be said, as a matter of course. At the present moment some four-and-twenty torpedo-boats of tho “ Lightning” class are in course of construction at the firm’s establishment here at Church Wharf. Of this number, only five are for our own Government; the remainder arc all being executed to foreign orders. It is true, I believe, however, that tho English Government is now building launches of tho same type at its own establishments. Nor do Messrs. Thornycroft at all regret this; for they have found tho English Government employers far too fulgetty, suspicious, and vacillating. Besides they complain that their reputation is injured by many of tho changes afterwards introduced in their boats at our dockyards. Thus, owing to sundry alterations made in the Lightning since it left their hands, its speed has been reduced by three knots an hour. The Government they find most satisfaction In doing business with is the Austrian, wh ch thinks nothing of ordering twenty torpedo-boats at a time, and this without any vexatious and supeifiuous restrictions. After Austria, France is at present their best customer, A photograph was shown me, exhibiting tho result of a torpedo experiment against a French ironclad, and the effect seemed to bo terrible, for a yawning hole appeared in the vessel’s side like the jagged mouth of a volcano. It appears tho firm can turn out one of these torpedo-boats complete in a couple of mouths ; that is at a pinch. Six of these boats are now considered the proper complement for a first-rate man-of-war. Foreign nations mostly seem to prefer the spartorpedo; Austria and ourselves tho Whitehead, Tho boats are all painted a dull neutral-tinted slate-color, so that they aro all but invisible at any considerable distance, and one might oven

pass up the river -without noticing them lying on its bank were it not for the deafening clang of the thousand-aud-ouo hammers engaged in fixing the rivets from morn to noon and noon to dewy eve. A visit to the establishment is full of interest. The other day the Rev. Arthur Tooth held a “retreat” for women at his convent at Woodside, Croydon, and this, in brief, was the programme. They were to arrive on the Saturday at about half-past six. At 7.15, Evensong; 8, supper; 3.30, address by tho Rev. Arthur Tooth ; 9, preparation for Holy Communion, evening exercise, and Compline. On Sunday at 8, celebration of Holy Communion ; 9, breakfast; 10, Tierce and meditation; 10.30, Matins ; 11 to 12, meditation, then half an hour recreation, followed by Sext. At 3, dinner ; 2.30, Nones ; meditation and selfexamination till 4.30, then the Litany to be chanted. At 5, tea ; from 6to 7 recreation. Evensong and meditation till supper at 8. At 8.30 preparation for Monday’s Holy Communion, finishing at 9 with Compline. On Monday tho Holy Communion celebrated at 7, breakfast at 8, and tho “retreat” to conclude at 8.45 with the <£ Te Demn.” After all this exertion, I wonder how many of the “retreatists” were able to leave by train on Monday morning and assume their ordinary avocations. If a dog is lost we go to the Dog Home, but if a dog is stolen what, are wo to do 1 I felt myself sadly at a loss to answer this question the other day, when a lady told me that she had lost her pet in Hyde Park, and spent - sleepless and tearful nights thinking of him. Years.ago I cultivated tho acquaintance of a certain'Billy Taylor, hoping to find him useful in ttfe recovery of dogs I valued. He certainly knew where to Jay his hands upon my dogs when they were lost; he was most gushing in his sympathy, but he levied a great deal of blackmail. I was beginning to get tired of this when one fine morning I read in the newspapers that Billy was convicted before a jury of his countryman of dog-stealing and heavily sentenced. Who rose to his vacant throne as king of the dog-stealers I never inquired, but I suppose the same system prevails now as then. There were then—it was only ten or twelve years ago—no more than nine dog-stealers by profession in London, and to know one was to be in relationship with the whole gang. I talked to a dog-fancier in Baris just before the war broke out, and he told me frankly that he had every week'stolen dogs sent over to him from London to the value of £4O. “ When I travel by rail,” said an eminent divine on the Victoria platform the other day, “X select a first-class carriage hr tho middle of the train, I enter the middle compartment of that carriage, and I take the middle seat in that compartment— ln medio tuilssimus ihis—and I leave the rest to Providence.” “It strikes me he leaves precious little to Providence,” said an eminent descendant of Mr. 'Poodles, sotto vocc } who happened to be standing by,